An enthusiastic crowd attended the Friday evening, January 25th, Rescue Rally Awards ceremony at the Circle City Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital to recognize and celebrate the small, all volunteer rescue organizations that participated in this year’s Rally.

These 12 organizations were responsible for the out-alive release of 300 animals (we are including the exotic animals in this total) in the 2 month Rally period.

Thanks to the private and corporate support of Rescue Rally, these organizations received $4,550 of awards to off-set the expense of this life-saving ministry.

To really take your breath away, we should know that for the year 2012, these 12 organizations were responsible for a total of 1,532 animals leaving IACC alive!

move to ACT is grateful to all who made this event possible. When making a donation to help an at-risk animal, please consider the small, all volunteer rescue organization, or you can make a donation to the mtA Rescue Rally.

Rescue Rally 2012 / 2013 Information

January 10, 2013
For immediate release

288 Animals Rescued from IACC in 2012 Rescue Rally;
Prizes to be Awarded January 25

Small, all-volunteer animal rescue organizations will share $4,500 in prize money for rescuing 288 dogs and cats during the third annual Rescue Rally. Sponsored by move to ACT, this fun competition recognizes and rewards the under-recognized, all-volunteer rescues who get animals out of Indianapolis Animal Care & Control and into permanent, loving homes. The Rally took place October 1 – November 30, 2012.

“The awards are based on the number of animals each group pulled into the safety net of their rescue,” said Warren Patitz, President of move to ACT. “And the prize money is donated by individuals and businesses throughout our community who recognize the value of all-volunteer animal rescue groups.”

Since its inception in 2010, Rescue Rally participants have given 648 animals a second chance. Last year, more than 6,000 adoptable dogs and cats were killed in Indianapolis shelters.

“The Rally focuses on Indianapolis Animal Care & Control because the animals who wind up in this severely underfunded agency are most at risk of sickness and death,” added Patitz. “Small rescues have the same expenses for food, veterinary care and maintenance as large, well-known organizations, but they don’t have the fundraising resources or name recognition. Rescue Rally supports and rewards their efforts.

“These Small, All-Volunteer Rescues work tirelessly to bail animals out of shelters and match them up with people who are looking for a pet,” Patitz continued.

Again this fall, volunteer animal rescue organizations in the Greater Indianapolis area will have the opportunity to earn much-needed prize money while saving lives in move to ACT’s third annual Rescue Rally. The Rally enables small, underfunded rescue groups run entirely by volunteers to compete for prizes by rescuing animals from Indianapolis Animal Care & Control and finding them foster or permanent homes.

Cash prizes will be awarded for the most dogs rescued, the most cats, the most all-black dogs, and the most all-black cats between October 1 and November 30. Black animals are often overlooked by adopters.

Rescue Rally focuses on pulling animals out of IACC, where less than half the animals who come in leave alive. All-volunteer animal rescue groups within 50 miles of Indianapolis can sign up to participate by sending an email with their organization’s name and contact information to info@movetoact.org and put in the subject line “Rescue Rally 2012.”

“The small, all-volunteer rescue groups save lives on a shoestring budget,” says Warren Patitz of move to ACT. “The first two Rally’s have saved three hundred and sixty animals. Donations to this initiative offer these hard-working organizations an opportunity to win some much-needed cash, the resources for them to save more lives and recognition for their efforts.”

Without major supporters or high-profile fundraising efforts, volunteer rescues usually operate on limited donations and the charity of the volunteers. Donations to these groups go directly to food, veterinary expenses, and other costs of animal care. Last year’s Rally rescued 250 animals and awarded $8,000 in prize money to six participating rescues.

Donations are being accepted for this year’s Rescue Rally prizes at www.old.movetoact.org or by mail at move to ACT, P.O. Box 68658 Indianapolis, IN 46268. Donations go 100% to support Rescue Rally efforts.

The final tally of donations will determine the actual prizes in each category.